Device for carrying out track construction works

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to the track-bound carrying out of works on a or for a railway track, such as earthworks, rail works, overhead wiring and signaling works, sleeper laying, sleeper replacement and the like, the devices ( 7 - 12 ) for carrying out the works forming a transport unit ( 15 ) or being accommodated in a transport unit ( 15 ) and the transport unit being detachably fastenable to a track vehicle ( 1 ), especially a railroad car.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for the railmounted carrying out of works at a railway track or for a railway track such as earthworks, rail works, overhead contact line works and signal works, sleeper laying, sleeper replacement and the like.

Apparatus for carrying out track construction works are known in a variety of construction types, for example as track construction trains. The apparatus are in this respect manufactured as custom-built products which may be configured as railgoing or have rail-independent undercarriages. Railgoing apparatus have the advantage that the road bed is not impaired or is only comparatively slightly impaired. In addition, they can be transported in and away via the track.

It is the underlying object of the invention to improve such apparatus. In particular the transport to and away from the site of operation of the apparatus should be facilitated.

This object is satisfied in that the devices for carrying out the works form a transport unit or are accommodated in a transport unit and in that the transport unit can be releasably fastened to a track vehicle, in particular to a railroad car.

Like known railgoing apparatus, the apparatus in accordance with the invention can also be transported in and away via the track. The apparatus can, however, also advantageously be transported in another manner by the transport unit which can be releasably fastened to a track vehicle, for example on a low-loader or on a ship. The apparatus in accordance with the invention can therefore also be moved to worksites in a favorable manner which cannot be reached by track or can only be reached with difficulty by track.

To facilitate a transport or to make it possible at all, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention some of the devices can be adjusted between a transport position and a work position. Some arms can thus be retracted, for example, to reduce the space requirement on transport.

In accordance with a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the dimensions of the transport unit are restricted to standard container dimensions, in particular to maritime container dimensions, at least in its transport position. The apparatus can thereby be transported in a container, whereby the transport costs can be kept very low.

The transport unit can also itself be configured as a container, in particular as a maritime container, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The costs for the transport can also thereby be kept correspondingly low. Another possibility is to configure the transport unit as a frame rack. This is inexpensive from a manufacturing aspect and allows a low weight of the apparatus.

The apparatus in accordance with the invention has lifting arms, in particular provided with track roller claws and/or a track adjustment device and/or a crane way and/or at least one sleeper lifting cylinder and/or a sleeper turning apparatus and/or a rail clamp control device and/or an operator's cab. The corresponding work can thus be carried out using the apparatus in accordance with the invention.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, the transport unit is releasably connected to a track vehicle which in addition to the transport unit has at least one device usable for the work, such as a storage place.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, the transport unit is releasably connected to a track vehicle which is not modified or is only modified within the framework of its licensing conditions with respect to a normal vehicle. The apparatus in accordance with the invention can thereby be transported as a load using the track vehicle without approvals being required. A fast transport between different sites of operation is thereby possible.

The connection of the transport unit to the track vehicle preferably takes place by means of standard fasteners. The costs can thereby be lowered.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, the transport unit is releasably connected to a track vehicle which is coupled to one or more further track vehicles such as railroad cars or railmounted drive apparatus. A work train can thus be assembled in a favorable manner which comprises normal track vehicles and thus causes little cost.

An embodiment of the invention is represented in the drawings and will be described in the following. There are shown, schematically in each case

FIG. 1 a railroad car having a work apparatus in accordance with the invention in a perspective representation in a transport position;

FIG. 2 a side view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 a plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 a front view of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 a side view of the railroad car with a work apparatus in accordance with the invention of FIG. 1 in a work position.

The work apparatus shown is a sleeper layer. The apparatus in accordance with the invention is configured as a transport unit 15 and is releasably connected to a railroad car 1 which is not modified or is only modified within the framework of its licensing conditions with respect to a normal railroad car. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 to 4, the work apparatus 15 in accordance with the invention is configured such that the permitted external dimensions of a load are not exceeded in the transport position. The apparatus 15 in accordance with the invention can therefore be transported quite normally as a load using the railroad car 1.

The railroad car 1 in accordance with the invention includes a plurality of wheel axles 2, six in the example shown, a platform 3 supported by the wheel axles 2, a rack 4 arranged at the front end of the railroad car 1 on the platform 3 and a sleeper layer 5 arranged behind it for a plurality of sleepers 6.

The work implements of the apparatus 15, namely a track lifting apparatus 7 with track claws and a crane way 8 with arms 9, are accommodated in the rack 4. A first lifting and turning apparatus 10 is movably arranged between the sleeper layer 5 and an intermediate store 8 at the crane way 8. A second lifting and turning apparatus 12 is arranged movably between the intermediate store 11 and the front end of the crane boom 9 at the crane way 8.

As shown in the Figures, the work devices of the apparatus 15 in accordance with the invention, namely rail lifting arm 7, crane way 8 with crane boom 9 and the turning apparatus 10, 12 attached thereto, are adjustable between the transport position shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 and the work position shown in FIG. 5. In the transport position shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the work devices do not project beyond the lateral external dimensions of the railroad car 1. In the work position shown in FIG. 5, the devices are in contrast arranged before the head of the railroad car 1 to move into engagement with the rails 14 of the track 13 and to lay sleepers 6 beneath the rails 14. Any other kind of work devices for carrying out track construction works can also be configured in a corresponding manner.

The apparatus in accordance with the invention can advantageously be used for a variety of work at a railway track or for a railway track, for example installing and removing sleepers, machining rails, for example grinding, for earthworks, e.g. in connection with planum improvement works, welding works at rails, cable laying works, vegetation works, e.g. tree work, surveying work, track measurements, rail inspections, overhead line measurements, video filming, works at overhead lines and signal plants, work at artificial constructions such as bridges and tunnels and much more. In all cases, the apparatus can be moved quickly to the site of operation and can optionally also be used after extending work devices.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

-   1 railroad car -   2 wheel axle -   3 platform -   4 rack -   5 sleeper layer -   6 sleeper -   7 rail lifting arm with track claw -   8 crane way -   9 crane boom -   10 first lifting and turning apparatus -   11 intermediate store -   12 second lifting and turning apparatus -   13 track -   14 rail -   15 transport unit 

1-10. (canceled)
 11. An apparatus for the rail mounted carrying out of works at a railway track or for a railway track such as earthworks, rail works, sleeper laying, overhead line works and signal works, sleeper replacement and the like, wherein the devices (7-12) for carrying out the works form a transport unit (15) or are accommodated in a transport unit; and wherein the transport unit (15) can be releasably fastened to a rail vehicle (1).
 12. An apparatus in accordance in accordance with claim 11, wherein the rail vehicle (1) is a railroad car.
 13. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11, wherein at least some of the devices (7-12) can be adjusted between a transport position and a work position.
 14. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11, wherein the dimensions of the transport unit (15) are limited to standard container dimensions, at least in its transport position.
 15. An apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein the standard container dimensions are maritime container dimensions.
 16. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11, wherein the transport unit (15) itself is configured as a standard container.
 17. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11, wherein the transport unit (15) itself is configured as a maritime container.
 18. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11, wherein the transport unit (15) has a frame rack (4) which can be releasably fastened to the rail vehicle (1) and in which the work devices (7-12) are accommodated.
 19. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11, wherein the transport unit (15) includes at least one of the following devices selected from the group comprising: lifting arms (7) provided with track roller claws, a rail adjustment device, a crane way (8), at least one sleeper lifting cylinder (10, 12), a sleeper turning apparatus, a rail clamp control device, an operator's cab, a drive, control members for carrying out the works.
 20. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11, the rail vehicle (1) has at least one device usable for the works in addition to the transport unit (15).
 21. An apparatus in accordance with claim 20, wherein the device is a storage space (5).
 22. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11, wherein the rail vehicle (1) is not modified or is only modified within the framework of its licensing conditions with respect to a normal rail vehicle.
 23. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11, wherein the connection of the transport unit (15) to the rail vehicle (1) takes place by means of standard fasteners.
 24. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11, wherein the transport unit (15) is releasably connected to a rail vehicle (1) which is coupled to one or more further rail vehicles.
 25. An apparatus in accordance with claim 24, wherein the further rail vehicles can be selected from the group comprising railroad cars and railmounted drive apparatus. 